FEATURE
we don’t actually detect that change – is another example of how we can be looking at something, and yet fail to notice key elements.”
“The human mind can quickly become desensitised to messaging after repeated exposure.”
In the context of perceiving danger, she explained how these phenomena mean that additional distractions could hinder people’s ability to notice a threat. Repeated exposure to visual warning signs could also cause people to become habituated to them. She added: “When we detect a threat, our brains initiate an increase in adrenaline and noradrenaline (as part of the fight or flight mechanism). These hormones increase alertness and our ability to remember the details of the dangerous situation, lest we should encounter it again.
“However, particularly at high levels, these stress
hormones can also impair our cognition – reducing our working memory and ability to think flexibly, meaning that we find it harder to come up with new solutions to manage a situation.”
Reduce complexity, increase focus The answer, then, is to reduce the visual complexity of the physical working environment to remove unnecessary mental load, and ensure attention is only focussed where and when it needs to be.
Start by decluttering workspaces, getting rid of old signage that no longer needs to be there, and then display information using a hierarchical layout. Contrast is also key –- highlight the most critical information with bold lettering or illumination, but still remember to do so sparingly. A wall filled with too many illuminated signs will be just as ineffective as a room filled with paper posters.
Modern signage solutions go one step beyond this, using auditory alarms, or ‘speaking signage’ to trigger an alert on an ‘as needed’ basis. This could help to draw attention to a critical hazard, without having a detrimental effect on people’s ability to process information.
The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has prompted facilities managers across the world to rethink their signage strategy, to avoid ‘sign blindness’ and fatigue. However, using these techniques long term could help to create a much safer environment now, and far into the future - helping to navigate through whatever comes next.
You can read the full free report Sign Blindness: A big risk to health and safety online.
www.seton.co.uk
www.tomorrowsfm.com
TOMORROW’S FM | 41
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